The Argonaut takes a cruise on the Queen Mary 2

This photograph was taken during our six-week cruise on board the Queen Mary 2. We were on a shore excursion in Chochin, India on our way to a lovely lunch at the Taj Malabar Hotel and Restaurant. (This photo is of the hotel’s information booth. The person manning the booth took the picture.)

Notice the interest shown by the local gentleman on the left.

After reboarding the Queen Mary, we passed your newspaper on to fellow travelers, then we continued our cruise on through the Suez Canal, finally arriving in New York and taking a flight back home to LAX.

Martyn and Diana Glover, Playa del Rey

Susan Cloke resigns as chair of the Design Control Board and thanks the Marina community for its efforts

First, thank you for your commitment to the Marina and your participation in the work of the Design Control Board. As you may have heard, I have resigned from the board. I know I will continue to value what I have learned from all of you.

Working together we have created a viable advocacy community in the Marina. We have successfully stopped projects that would have overwhelmed the scale of the Marina or been out of keeping with the character of the Marina and we have supported some great projects.

The board has worked to promote the vision of the Marina as an accessible and activated waterfront and an important and fun recreational destination for everyone living in or visiting the Marina.

We have been environmental stewards of the Marina. We have established requirements for a continuous waterfront walk, which will, over time, be completed. We have looked at each proposal on its own merit and on how it will benefit the overall Marina. Much has been accomplished but there is much more to do.

I want to recognize the members of the Design Control Board for their expertise and commitment. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the board and with all of you. I thank you.

With all good wishes, Susan Cloke, Member and chair of the Design Control Board (1995-2009)

Thanks The Argonaut for article about ‘hate flyers’ circulating in Venice

To the Editor:

Thank you for The Argonaut’s April 30th article concerning the “hate flyers” being posted on cars in Venice entitled, “False notices ‘move it or we tow it; and ‘remove crab grass’ circulated in Oakwood and Milwood/Palms.”

Thursday night while I was participating in a Venice Neighborhood Council Homelessness Committee meeting, my wife took a telephone call for me. A woman had found one of the “hate flyers” on her car and was quite irate at the attack leveled at her. She was under the impression that I had something to do with this because she found my name on the Internet linked to the Venice Stakeholders Association (VSA), a group which is being attacked and libeled by this action.

My wife explained to the woman that neither VSA nor I was part of this hate campaign and that it is a “dirty trick” being used to attack and disparage people in Venice. After some discussion the woman calmed down and understood what is going on.

What is going on is that hate is being let loose in Venice. Dishonesty is being used in Venice to attack people and their families too.

Thank you, Argonaut, for shining a light on these reprehensible actions.

Stewart Oscars, Venice

Says that bus shelters are a necessity to protect riders from the elements

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to The Argonaut’s April 30th news story entitled “Anti-street furniture activists want structures removed.”

While I have reservations about automated toilets and the abuses they invite, bus shelters are a necessity for transit riders. They are called shelters for a reason. They protect the transit rider from rain, wind, fog and the searing sun. They protect all — men, women, children, mothers with infants, the elderly and the handicapped.

Anyone opposed to bus shelters needs to ride transit in the rain and see what it is like to stand under an umbrella (if they were smart enough to bring one) for five, ten, 15, 20 or 50 minutes while waiting for the next bus. Or try mid-day in the summer’s searing heat. Or a cold, damp night. Or a cold night with the wind howling.

A decent society, a caring society makes efforts to give the basics in shelter to those riding transit. While I oppose the proliferation of billboards in the city, I will fight against any effort to remove bus shelters for transit riders.